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Beginning teachers' perceptions of effective practices used by their mentor

BEGINNING TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
USED BY THEIR MENTOR
by
Kathryn Slabodnik-Rivas
_________________________________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2010
Copyright 2010 Kathryn Slabodnik-Rivas

The purpose of this study was to examine the value of mentoring techniques as perceived by beginning teachers. One specific school district in Southern California using the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program was the focus of this study. There were 12 beginning teachers involved in their second year of the BTSA program. The study focused on elementary school teachers (Kindergarten through fifth grade). The beginning teachers were interviewed so the researcher could identify their perceptions of effective techniques used by their mentor during their first year of teaching. This study found four common themes which emerged during the interviews. They were interactive dialogue, collaboration and joint planning, demonstration and modeling, and observation and feedback. All of these findings indicate that beginning teachers need assistance which will promote retention and confidence in the teaching profession. This will help induction program designers and administrators to consider these effective techniques when developing and implementing an induction program.

BEGINNING TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
USED BY THEIR MENTOR
by
Kathryn Slabodnik-Rivas
_________________________________________________________________
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2010
Copyright 2010 Kathryn Slabodnik-Rivas